A look at the weirdest and creepiest murderabilia

Birdshot pellets pulled from the body of Aurora shooting survivor Carli Richards sold for $1,650.

Birdshot pellets pulled from the body of Aurora shooting survivor Carli Richards sold for $1,650.

Photo: Serial Killers Ink

Photo: Serial Killers Ink

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Birdshot pellets pulled from the body of Aurora shooting survivor Carli Richards sold for $1,650.

Birdshot pellets pulled from the body of Aurora shooting survivor Carli Richards sold for $1,650.

Photo: Serial Killers Ink

A look at the weirdest and creepiest murderabilia

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The underworld of true crime enthusiasts is a dark and creepy place. Foot scrapings, broken TVs, pubic hair and even penis tracings - it's all for sale, as long as it's connected to a crime or a notorious killer.

"I got a lot of hair, a lot of toenails, fingernails. I've got a lot of faceprints, handprints, footprints," said 28-year-old Sam Mullins. "I got one where he sent a set of footprints and glued his toenails on the toes."

Although Mullins is just a collector, the industry built up around selling this so-called murderabilia is booming, aided in part by the ease of internet sales - on sites like True Crime Auction House and Supernaught - and the popularity of true crime books and shows.

Eric Holler, a Florida-based dealer with Serial Killers Ink, has been in the business about two decades and in that time has seen some suitably bizarre and creepy offerings. One of the creepier ones was a Santa Claus suit once worn by John Robinson, a serial killer who lured his victims through the internet in its early days.

"It was just one of the weirdest items I had," Holler said. "It was a way bizarre item, looking at the Santa Claus suit, knowing that he was playing with children with the suit and then at night he was going out and luring his victims on the internet."

Mullins, who lives in North Texas, entered the world of murderabilia through his work as a taxidermist.

"My house was already full of creepy, weird stuff," he said. "I've already accepted that death happens."

Although Mullins has been most interested in collecting killers' art, he doesn't pay for it and doesn't sell it. But sometimes, he gets unsolicited weirdness that is definitely not art sent his way.

"I've got a couple of d*ck tracings," he said. "Regardless of what you tell them - you can tell them you're married all day long and they'll still send it."

"Like it or not people are fascinated by the macabre and procuring personal items produced by some of the most cold-blooded diabolical killers fits right into that type of mindset," said Andy Kahan, Houston's victim advocate. "From a victim's perspective there is nothing more nauseating and disgusting than to find out the person who murdered your loved one now has items up for sale."

For Mullins, it's a combination of "curiosity" and interest in the darkest parts of the past.

"It's strictly a part of history but it's a part of history most people don't want to accept," he said. And, accordingly, it's something a lot of people may look at a little askance.

"You mention it to people and they think you're completely nuts," said John, a murderabilia collector in Missouri who asked that his last name not be used. "It's a little hard because while it's all completely innocent, it's criminals. And, yeah, people think you're weird."